Medical bottles that are used to store fluids that are accessed by inserting a needle through the cap or bottles that contain a vacuum inside that are penetrated by a needle to drain fluid use a permanently attached cap that cannot be removed.
For example, current glass evacuated bottles are used in hospital settings to drain pericardial, peritoneal and pleural fluid from patients with certain conditions. These bottles typically range from 500 to 1000 cubic centimeters in size and are primarily used in radiology. The vacuum inside the bottle is accessed by a needle that is inserted through a membrane held in place by the non-removable top. The non-removable top is typically metal or plastic that is crimped or molded onto the top of the bottle to provide permanent attachment. One drawback of the glass bottles used is that they are considered a safety hazard because of the possibility of breakage during or after a procedure. Also, in terms of disposable, hospitals are required to add a solidifying sand or other substance to liquid medical waste such as the fluid within the bottle. This cannot be accomplished with the current glass bottle and non-removable top. As a result, existing fluids and bottles are disposed of improperly in medical red waste bags or Sharps containers due to the non-removable top.